Meat rigs/cutbait:What's your take? (Discussion)

[Sk8man]

A number of folks have asked questions regarding the setting up of meat rigs and the use of cut bait in general. There is a long history of its use in both fresh and salt water and in principle it is one of the oldest  methods of fishing and especially trolling (and drift fishing). I thought it could be useful to start a thread specifically dealing with this topic with the hope that folks with expertise in the use of these very effective techniques might offer "specifics" that might help others here and especially new people to the forum or trout and salmon fishing in general. I know there are many Youtube videos (of varying quality and there has been previous commentary here but I thought it might be helpful to have some current input all in one place or thread. There is certainly an "old school" and "new school" flavor to this topic and I'm hoping also that some of the charter guys and our north shore (Canadian) brothers will give input too as a lot of them are very experienced with the newer stuff.

 

What are some of the specific setups used, (distances run,leader length, behind dipseys, Spinneys or flashers etc.) particular baits found to be productive or more effective (e.g. cost effective/longer lasting etc.)? Any pics also might be particularly helpful especially to "newcomers". The pics came in out of sequence so I re-adjusted #1 and #2 numbering

For reference sake I'm attaching pics of basic stuff ( so people will know what some of the objects themselves look like. There are many different ways to set up these things so these pics are only basic representations not actual setups

 

PIC #2 - Cowbells (used to be called "flashers") with a sawbelly (Alewife) gang hook setup. The forward single hook slides for adjustment and is hooked in the mouth of a (usually frozen) sawbelly and then "scrunched up" so that it will twirl and roll in the water A weight of varying size is attached to the "rudder"of the cowbells to achieve depth and it is often run just off bottom for Lake Trout.

 

PIC #1 - Cowbells with a "hemlock spinner" (made by Sutton) that has a treble hook with one hook modified so that is open at the "eye end" and can be  slid on and off after a sawbelly is "threaded" on and the treble hook replaced and the bait bent so it will twirl or roll.

 

PIC#3  - "Meat rigs" stored on foam. There are many types of "heads" and riggings  and beads and other things can be added as well.

 

PIC #4 - Meat rig - I used this as just one VERY basic example. Basically usually a commercially prepared (special brines used) herring is placed in the "head" and a toothpick used to secure it (end broken off after inserted) and the bait is bent to the users preference so that it twirls or rolls in the water when trolled.... again....folks have their preferences as to how it is rigged and I know that since Rys Davis isn't offering their bait that Familiar Bite and Erie Deerie are the more popularly used now....

 

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR RESPONSES

Edited October 27, 2013 by Sk8man

[Tim Bromund]

I've been running meat since 1997 or so.  stopped for several years when the good Rhys Davis Pacific Herring became unavailable with the onset of VHS.  The replacement herring has all been soft mushy crap IMO.  Several years ago I started running MC Rocket fake cut bait and quite honestly, I catch as many on Rockets as I ever did on the old RD herring strips.  They come in a wide variety of colors and they glow like crazy, plus they are infinitely tunable (they are rubber with a very thin sheet/strip of aluminum embedded) so they can roll correctly at any speed.  I'll sometimes add a little scent to the Rocket, but it's not really necessary, the proper roll of the strip to mimic a stunned baitfish is the key to catching fish on a cut bait rig.

 

Tim

[Rippin'Line]

I used a teaser setup with success this year but I've heard from many people that that's a Lake Michigan setup and nobody uses them in Lake O. Now I obviously beg to differ on that but does anybody else use these? I've done both with and without teaser. I seem to also get more releases on the teaser set up but less hookups. I believe this is from the fish hitting the teasers rather than the actual meat. Anyone else use these or am I the Lone Ranger on this one?

[BAZOOKAJOE]

I've been running meat for two years and i do well with it.  IMO~you need two hooks on your teasers.  Two trebles or a tournament rig (single and treble).  Brining your bait makes it last longer.  I prefer to run my teasers behind a kingfisher type flasher.  

Edited October 27, 2013 by BAZOOKAJOE

[Xxx]

Since I was old enough to go to Canada fishing my uncle saw a lure advertised on TV. called a MirrOlure and my cousin ordered this lures I got 2 in green and he got 2 in gold/brown and as kids we caught pike and walleyes like nobodies business matter of fact the 13# walleye I got mounted was caught on a MirrOlure. These lures are like no other lure in fact this year they are coming out with a lure that replicates the scales and eyes of a fish like no other lure. I've been using what is called a hood, it simply slips over a small to medium sized minnow, I use this hood when we are after the big smelt eater walleye from the end of June till we pull the boat. the Iland hood with crome plating for long distance flash is scientifically designed and weighted to allow it to be trolled at speeds that it won't washout, and it make rigging simple. I usually troll it at over 2mph at the ball and it is very effective it was designed for the salt water species so I ordered 1 just to try it and it worked great so I ordered 2 more I'm going to try one on the rigger and 1 on a slider this year. I now they work I've caught walleye on them. I haven't fished for 2 years on the account of back complications, but this year will be different.  I use the iland hood 910 here is the site. http//www.shopmirrolure/iland-hood 

[super_hawk2012]

Good thread. Very valuable info for newbies like me

[Sk8man]

Hopefully folks posting will explain things too (what they are and how they work...maybe a pic (if possible) when mentioned for the benefit of new folks....for example "teasers, tournament rigs, Kingfisher flasher etc.). We get used to the terminology etc. and often don't realize it may not be familiar to people new to the scenes

 

thx Les

Edited October 27, 2013 by Sk8man

[magic7777]

Pics would really help out. Thanks

[Willy-C]

Hopefully folks posting will explain things too (what they are and how they work...maybe a pic (if possible) when mentioned for the benefit of new folks....for example "teasers, tournament rigs, Kingfisher flasher etc.). We get used to the terminology etc. and often don't realize it may not be familiar to people new to the scenes

 

thx Les

 

Yes  , Thanx Les

[BAZOOKAJOE]

I'll spoonfeed some stuff i've learned (over time) and through trial/error.  But i won't teach you how to google or run a search on this site! 

 

Check out:  http://www.michiganangler.com/

Edited October 28, 2013 by BAZOOKAJOE

[Sk8man]

Bazooka Joe I understand your point of view but the primary reason for this thread is to consolidate information on this very specific topic based on the actual experiences and expertise of our forum members for the benefit of all but especially newcomers. Searching the site or the Web can be a valuable tool or option  but it is also time consuming and in that regard....an inefficient way to readily gather useful current information. If folks find Youtube videos or other useful sites the URL can be cut and pasted here when someone runs across them rather than "weeding through" all the stuff that may or may not be worth looking at. We have a great resource here on this site in the way of experience and knowledge and expertise and many people are very generous in sharing it with others and I commend them for it.

Edited October 28, 2013 by Sk8man

[Tim Bromund]

A couple of my favorite meat rigs, a couple pics of tuned MC Rockets and some of my favorite Rocket patterns

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tim

[Yankee Troller]

Tim - I'll have to break my Rocket's out! I went to Bay of Quinte last Winter and stopped by Mike's place. He produces all his Rockets in his apartment! I didn't give them much seat time this Summer, but I'd really like to do a side by side comparison between the fake and the real stuff.

 

The real stuff was insane this year, and I bet we went through 50 packs of Familiar Bite. I know we did 8 in one weekends worth of trips (4). When they got on the meat bite hard in August it was a joke how good it produced. It also helped us on our deep rigs during the Niagara County Pro Am to grab some big boys. 

 

When it comes to meat rigs guys.....keep it simple. Begin by pretending that the only colors out there are white and green. Find a leader length that works with whatever paddle your running. Sometimes teasers work on your leaders, and other times they want it clean. The Familiar Bite stuff is getting better, but it still only lasts for one fish. I felt the Eerie Deerie held up better a few years ago when we tried it, but the color of the strip was brown and I wasn't impressed by that. They could have changed their product since then, but I haven't looked.

[Sk8man]

Thanks Tim and Rick

[King Slammin]

I ran meat for the first time this yr. kept it simple using 11" echips in hammer time, mtn dew/crush, nuclear green, and white/ pearl. My wife got her largest king on a 500' copper meat rig that she fought for an hr and 20 min. We caught many fish on them this yr, and sometimes it produced our only fish on tough days. We also lost ALOT of fish due to break offs with the prerigged 30# leaders and had alot of hit and misses. After I had a friend out for his first trip and we broke off 5 screamers, I decided to retie all my bait heads. I tied tourney rigs with 50# floro and have had great success since. Meat will always be on my boat.

[Paul Czarnecki]

A couple of my favorite meat rigs, a couple pics of tuned MC Rockets and some of my favorite Rocket patterns

Tim

TIM......those are all my favorites too.

Gonna have to switch your team duties from observer to rod guy!

Ps...... Glad you left out the good ones. LOLOL.

[Tim Bromund]

TIM......those are all my favorites too.

Gonna have to switch your team duties from observer to rod guy!

Ps...... Glad you left out the good ones. LOLOL.

 

[Justin B]

I've been fishing salmon for 3 years now ( I know not a very long time ) and meat has almost always been in my spread, usually it consistently catches my biggest fish every trip my preferred rigs are simple as Yankee stated 11 " hotspot with 5-7' leader mostly green flashers and also 8 or 10" spinny s with 5' meat rigs white green dot spinny with a glow green Rhys Davis head has been a stud for me since I started trolling lake o

[Guidewayneo]

I used a teaser setup with success this year but I've heard from many people that that's a Lake Michigan setup and nobody uses them in Lake O. Now I obviously beg to differ on that but does anybody else use these? I've done both with and without teaser. I seem to also get more releases on the teaser set up but less hookups. I believe this is from the fish hitting the teasers rather than the actual meat. Anyone else use these or am I the Lone Ranger on this one?

I used the teaser rigs this past year with good success. I also had more releases without hookups that I did on just meat. I also believe the fish are hitting the teasers. I am thinking about making a rig with hooks on the teasers.

Sent from my LG-VS700 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Rippin'Line]

Could be a good option

[Sk8man]

Anyone have pics of teaser set ups for folks that are unfamiliar with them?

Edited October 30, 2013 by Sk8man

[ifishy]

I am interested in trying cut bait or even the fake version next year i like to try ot learn a new technique every year.  however i mostly fish the finger lakes does anyone every have much luck on fish other than salmon?  I think the slow speed roll would be good for lakers but the target on Lake O is usually kings any of your finger lakes guys out there use cut bait.  any of you lake o guys take a hit only to come up with a trout of some type.  is there a smaller version that might appeal to LLs on seneca?

[Sk8man]

The ones pictured could be used on the Finger lakes as well for lakers especially and possibly browns and landlocks. I've used sawbellies bigger than that in the past for lakers. Would have to adjust the rigging for near bottom fishing....shorter leads and possibly distances from the ball....the lakers on Ontario love the meat too.

Edited October 31, 2013 by Sk8man

[gokudl3]

When I fish with my friend aboard coyote ugly, he always runs MC Rockets and they usually outfish everything else...thx for those pics!

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app....Doug

[Tim Bromund]

We pick up quite a few steelies on these rigs as well, but that usually tells me that 1) the tune/roll isn't right for kings and 2) we're trolling too fast.

 

when you guys are talking about teasers, do you mean what used to be called "twinkie rigs" back in the 90's?

 

Tim